1995 Murder Suspect Extradited From Mexico

The suspect in the 1995 slaying of a Caltech custodian was extradited from Mexico and booked in the Pasadena City Jail on Friday, police say.

Raul Alcazar Romero, 56, who was hiding in Jalisco, Mexico, is the suspect in the murder of Francisco Mora, a Pasadena resident who was 36 at the time of his death.

Over a year ago, the Pasadena Police Department received information from an anonymous informant who knew the whereabouts of Romero. The U.S. Marshalls Office was given the information for investigation, conducted interviews and ultimately orchestrated the capture of Romero in cooperation with Mexican authorities.

Romero was arrested and jailed in Mexico for the past year.

Today, Romero was extradited and flown to the Los Angeles Airport, arrested, then booked in Pasadena. He will be arraigned at the Pasadena Superior Court on Monday March 5, 2012.

On April 21, 1995, Francisco Mora was murdered at Caltech at 1201 E. California Blvd.  Police say Romero approached Mora while he was sitting by the loading dock having lunch with co-workers and shot Mora several times before fleeing. Romero was jealous of Mora, who was eating lunch with Romero’s ex-wife. She was unharmed.

“This particular investigation and arrest highlights the collaboration between the Pasadena Police Department, Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Marshalls Office. Moreover, the investigation underscores the Pasadena Police Department’s willingness to pursue predators beyond local boundaries,” Pasadena Chief of Police Phillip Sanchez said in a statement. ” Although the murder occurred over a decade ago detectives frequently communicated with the Mexican authorities and federal law enforcement counterparts, which ultimately led the Romero’s arrest. I am extremely proud of the department’s efforts to ensure Romero was apprehended and I hope his arrest and extradition helps bring closure to the family.”